The Osceola times., 1887-12-03
PopoCATEPETL's CRATER.
q Scene of Desoiation Sublime In Its Unap-
proachabie Grandeur.


OF all the wandering millions since
this weary world was young. few feet
have ever reached this spot, and of
these few not many have been wo-
mems. Think of it-over three and a
half miles in mid air. half mile above
he tip-top pinnacle of Mont Blanci
The highest mountain in Europe lacks
over two thousand feet of being rs lofty
as Popocatapetl. OF course, the chief
object of interest on top of the volcano
Is the crater. Imagine the interior of
Il mountain literally blown out by an
explosion, TO the depth of one thousand
eight hundred feet, leaving a narrow
rim on its inside surface. over which
the sea of snow curls higher than a
nslu's head. I looked over the dizzy
brink in mute astonishinent A vast
cavity. unsuspeeted from the outside,
at least "A mile across. sank away at my
feet, rock-ribbed, ragged and
torn along its preeipitous sides.
Out of the prifce in its
deep and dismal bottom rose Jets Of
steam, putting and blowing in the dead
air A workman who had wrought in
the crater told me that the iumeros, or
steam vents, instead of being a foot in
diameter as they appeared, measured
from twelve to eighteen feet. The
vapor pouring ont Of these holes is
highly impregnated with sulphur.
which is deposited ON the rocks and in
the soil, furnishing an inexhaustible
supply of this valuable mineral The
crane and rigging for lowering the
workmen into this inferno consists of .
strong beam projecting a few feet over
the. abyss; over pulley in the end
runs long rope, with loop in the
lower end. The persop wishing to
descend stands in the loop. holds the
rope In one hand and with the other
manages stick to protect himself
from injury by swinging against the
rocks. Two poems let the rope run
slowly over the pulley, and the descent
occupies about fifteen minutes.
The bottom of the crater is covered
with scorin, which glitters with various
colors. IN one place is stone. so large
that man can stand upon it, which
rises aud falls as it feels the effect of
the subterranean yapors. At the low
est point is q lake, the water of which
has an acid taste. The edge Of the
crater is composed of immense bowl
ders Of porphery and basat, and one
may descend some distance on foot by
an icy pathway leading downward to
the huge rock which supports the
mqlqcdte, or machine for lowering the
workmen. Since the mountain has
been giving out its sulphurcus breath
for unnumbered centuries. the amount
already existing is beyond estimation,
and something like ton is daily
deposited. 1t would hardly be
an eXaggeration to say that the
upper part of the mountain is an
immense block of sulphur, inclosed in
q shell Of rock few yards thick.
Three qualities of sulphur are obtained
by the operations here. The best is
almost chemically pure, and is OBJ
tanned at the resperdRos, or steam
vents whence it issues in liquid state
aud hardens rs it cools. The other
two qualities are known to the trade rs
''rich' and "pure" sulphur ore. The
former yields from cighty-two to
cighty-seven per cent of pure sulphur;
the latter about fifty per cent. The
process used in its purification is that
of Michel. Distillation takes place at
rlamacas in half-cylinders which serve
as rctorts One who has stood upon
the brink of that crater can never for
get the awful silence that broods over
tie scene oi dtsolation. Fannie u.
Ward, IN Troy (M ~ Times,